Coin-controlled actuating mechanism for autopneumatic pianos.



PATENTED JAN. 29, 1907.

A. J. HOBART. COIN CONTROLLED AOTUATING MECHANISM FOR AUTOPNEUMATIC PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED APR 28, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADAM J. HOBART, OF ST. JOHNSVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ROTH AND ENGELHARDT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A FIRM.

COIN-CONTROLLED ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR AUTOPNEUMATIC PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 29, 1907.

Application filed April 28, 1906. Serial No. 257,827.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM J. HOBART, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. J ohnsville, Montgomery county, State of New York, have invented new'and useful Improvements in Coin Controlled Actuating Mechanism for Autopneumatic Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means for starting the motor of an autopneumatic piano or piano-player from a distance remote from the piano, and has for its main object to provide a coin-controlled actuating mechanism.

Another object resides in the provision of a coin-controlled actuating mechanism for autopneumatic pianos embodying such characteristics that a person may start the music without walking to the piano or leaving his seat.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of one of the coin-boxes with the front removed. Fig. 2 is a rear view of one of the coin-boxes partly in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a num ber of coin-stations arranged with respect to the piano.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that the piano may be operated directly from any one of a number of boxes disposed at a distance from the piano and occupying various places within the room, the reference character A indicating the casing of an autopneumatic piano or piano-player, and B a series of stations or boxes for starting the piano. These boxes are so distributed over the room as to be accessible to the guests seated at the tables D.

The main feature of my invention resides in the coin -boxes B, and each box contains an inclined support or back plate I), to which is secured at c (1, respectively, the resilient members 0 d of an electric contact. Above the upper contact 0 is fulcrumed to plate I) at e" an inclined lower coin-run e, that may be counterweighted at 6 This lower coin-run when tilted by the descending coin moves contact-piece 0 against the contact-piece d to close a circuit,while when the coin has cleared the run the contact is opened by the resiliency of its members. To the support I) there is secured above the lower coin-run e an upper coin-run, which delivers the coin to the upper end of the latter. The upper coin-run is composed of a pair of parallel plates ff flanking an inclined bottom rail f and attached. to support I) atj". The rear plate f is provided with a slot 1' of a size to eject objectionable smaller coins and slugs. The coin F (see Fig. 3) introduced through drop B will descend along the runs f c and will then fall into a suitable receptacle B The contact 0 of each box B connects by wire g in any suitable manner with a wire (not shown) leading to the piano A, while the contact (1 of each box B connects by wire i with an electromagnet (not shown) or with any other instrumentalities to cooperate with the wire 9 and any other mechanism employed for actuating the mechanism of the piano.

It will be seen that by the means described the piano may be started from any one of the boxes B, and obviously the piano may be started and played irrespective of the boxes B. It will also be seen that if a coin F is dropped into either one of the boxes B the contacts 0 d of such box will be closed as long as the coin travels over lower run 0 and will then automatically open, due to the resiliency of the contacts 0 cl. The closing of the contact will effect an automatic playing of the piano through instrumentalities (not shown) cooperating with the boxes and the piano. Obviously the piano mechanism may be stopped in any suitable manner after the music has been played under the principle of automatic instruments. The lower run shields the contacts 0 d from engagement by the coin in its passage over the run.

What is claimed is In a coin-controlled actuating mechanism for autopneumatic pianos, an upper run hav ing an inclined bottom-rail, a lower coin-run provided at one end with a weight and pivotecl at its Weighted end and held normally goniery county, New York, this 24th day of upon an incline, an upper resilient contact April, 1905 arranged beneath the up er contact and a A r r\ lower contact, the lower run shielding the ADAM HOBARL 5 contacts from engagement by the coin in its l Witnesses:

passage over the run. l/VALTER L. ENGELHARDI,

Signed by me at St. Johnsville, Mont- HENRY ll. CARROLL. 

